ERIC Number: EJ1114390
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0040-0912
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Teaching Self- and Social Competencies in the Retail Sector: Findings from Vocational Schools in Germany, Italy and Poland
Edeling, Sabrina; Pilz, Matthias
Education & Training, v58 n9 p1041-1059 2016
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to use teaching and learning units specially devised for development of self-competencies and social competencies in the retail sector to explore how learners assess these units in relation to acceptance, quality and self-assessment of improvement in their own performance. Design/methodology/approach: The study focuses on Poland, Italy and Germany, with a total of 1,020 learners undergoing initial vocational training in the retail sector taking part. Findings: The findings point to high levels of acceptance by participants and to significant appreciation of the quality of the teaching and learning units. Learners also perceived a marked improvement in their performance after completing the units. Differences in outcomes between individual countries can be explained at least in part by the differing training framework in each country. Research limitations/implications: The approach did not enable the authors adequately to evaluate the increase in learners' competencies: participants' self-assessment is of only limited value for this purpose. Moreover, only three countries were involved in the study. This area in particular will require substantial further research if reliable methods for evaluating competencies are to be developed that improve on the current instruments. Originality/value: The pedagogical objective of the project was to develop teaching and learning materials that would accelerate the development of self- and social competencies in the retail sector. The aim was that the material should be capable of use right across a range of European countries and be evaluated in a proper way. The findings are based on a very high number of involved students. Also the results are positive and enable teachers in VET-courses to use well tested teaching materials.
Descriptors: Interpersonal Competence, Vocational Education, Self Evaluation (Individuals), Foreign Countries, Comparative Education, Retailing, Educational Quality, Sales Occupations, Teaching Methods, Units of Study, Student Attitudes, Instructional Materials, Vocational Education Teachers, Case Studies, Likert Scales, Teamwork, Time Management, Questionnaires
Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emeraldinsight.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Germany; Italy; Poland
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A